On a night where the Atlanta Braves out-hit them 12-6, the Philadelphia Phillies navigated their way to a 2-1 victory Friday. The Braves stranded runner after runner on base on the night while the Phillies’ offense, much more subdued than Thursday night, produced runs when it counted the most.
Ranger Suárez allowed just one run on 10 hits stretching across five frames. David Robertson, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering pitched scoreless innings to get to the ninth, where Jhoan Duran closed it out. Kerkering earned the win, his seventh of the year, while Duran earned his eighth save with the Phillies.
Ranger dealing with danger
Ranger Suárez found himself in trouble to start the game for the Phillies. He loaded the bases in the top of the first inning, but managed to work his way out of the jam without any harm.
The second inning, however, was not so clean. Sean Murphy led off the inning with a double just past the outstretched glove of Max Kepler in left-center field. Back-to-back one-out singles from Nick Allen and Jurickson Profar scored Murphy, putting the Braves on the board.
Suárez pitched five innings, dealing with baserunners in every inning. While he did not demonstrate the same prowess that carried him to two straight 10+ strikeout outings, he still did his best to keep the Braves’ run count low.
“They were grinding on him,” Rob Thomson said post-game on Suárez. “But he fought through it and did what he needed to do to keep them off balance.”
Phillies showcase some small ball
Thursday night saw the Phillies get the job done with the long ball. Friday, the Phillies proved small ball can be just as effective.
A five pitch walk to Kyle Schwarber, who the Braves were certainly avoiding throwing a strike to, kicked off the bottom of the fourth inning. On his first pitch, Bryce Harper recognized a defensive shift moving the third baseman to the shortstop position. Harper then executed a perfect bunt single down to third base, putting two runners on for the Phillies.
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Following a fly-out from roommate Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh slapped a hot zone changeup into right field, scoring Schwarber to tie the game at 1-1.
Braving it out
Matt Olson reached base to start the top of the fifth inning against Suárez, moving to third on a single from Ozzie Albies with one out. Marcell Ozuna then came to the plate, hitting a line drive to right field.
Nick Castellanos came in to make the catch as Olson tagged from third. Castellanos, who has not played as much in recent days, threw a bullet to catcher Rafael Marchán, in time to double up Olson and get out of the inning unscathed.
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With Suárez having allowed 10 hits over five innings, the Phillies went to the bullpen for the sixth. David Robertson pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out Michael Harris II. That strikeout was No. 1,165 of Robertson’s career, tying him with Lindy McDaniel for 10th place in Major League Baseball history among relief pitchers.
Matt Strahm allowed two baserunners in the top of the seventh, but maintained the 1-1 deadlock going into the seventh inning stretch. Orion Kerkering followed suit in the eighth, striking out Nacho Alvarez Jr., stranding one runner on base to end the inning.
Going into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Phillies had only managed to get three hits on the day. With the top of the order due up and the Braves going to the bullpen for the first time, the Phillies sought to change the game.
Kyle Schwarber may have been looking for home run No. 50 of the season, but he settled for a full-count single to get the ball moving with one out. Bryce Harper then moved Schwarber to third, pulling a slider low and away into center field.
With two runners on, the Braves called in Pierce Johnson to relieve Dylan Lee after the three-batter minimum. Alec Bohm stepped up to the plate with an 11-game hit streak on the line, and the game-winning run on third. Bohm let the hitting streak go to score the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right field.
Brandon Marsh then followed with a single up the middle. Nick Castellanos would work a full-count walk before Max Kepler ended the inning by popping out to third base. On the inning, the Phillies doubled not only their run count but their hit count as well, taking the lead just in time for Jhoan Duran to enter the game in a save situation.
The Durantula
As the AppleTV+ crew experienced the Jhoan Duran Philadelphia experience for the first time, the Phillies’ closer took the mound.
With a one-run lead, Duran wasted little time getting Vidal Bruján to ground out to second for the first out. With the top of the order now up, Duran began to turn up the heat, striking our Profar on a 101.8 mph fastball.
Matt Olson, who had three hits thus far on the day, stepped up to the plate. After a mound visit to address a PitchCom malfunction, Duran set out to finish the game. Five pitches later, it was over. Duran got Olson swinging on a 101.2 mph fastball to end the game, earning his 24th save of the year.
Whatever it takes
On a night where the bats cooled down after an offensive explosion the previous night, the Phillies did everything right to come out on top. From working three double plays defensively to only striking out three times at the plate, the Phillies put runners on base and did what was necessary to move them over. Bryce Harper’s bunt single and Alec Bohm’s sac fly being two key examples.
“I think we're all at the point now where we're all in,” said Thomson. “And whatever is best for the team to win a game that night, we're all in. Check your ego at the door and let's go.”
Marquee matchup on Saturday
Cristopher Sánchez will take the mound Saturday night as the Phillies look to lock in a series victory in game three of the four-game set. Chris Sale is reportedly set to make his return from the injured list for the Braves, setting the table for a matchup between the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner and a candidate for the 2025 award. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
